Jaderose

I tear it up on Bubblegum Senko's. *shrugs*

and when I ain't throwing the Royal Shad CC, I throw that Red Chrome Trap or a Bone Trap.

I like the Xcaliburs and still have a bunch. but I also have a ton of Rat-L-Traps and Cordell. Right now, my favorite is this......Cotton Cordell Super Spot in Royal Shad.

Why would you buy a bait that has to be modified to use the way you want to? Buy one that does what you want. It's not like there is a shortage of bait makers.

I'm gonna guess you're pretty young...which makes this even more poignant because young people tend to be pretty selfish. Not necessarily in a bad way...they just can't see big picture yet and that's ok. Spend the time with your Grandad. Not the money. Tell him you will own that gun someday and you will always cherish it as it will be a representation of him. Maybe...maybe...you can find one for him to shoot one last time if that's feasible. Hell....ask a cop. They would know who might have one. Do NOT spend a lot of time trying to accumulate the funds to buy him one. You WILL regret that time not spent with him if you do

This is what I am looking at for a froggin reel and they are going to be on sale in a few days. Even better if you have a trade in.

This pretty well ends this discussion...lol

There is this, too. I'm sure that in "real life" there are many members on here that I would not like or would not like me for whatever reason. But there also isn't a single person on here that I wouldn't sit down with and enjoy a cup of coffee with and jaw about fishing or spend some time on the water with. Same goes with my little local lake. I've become one of a group of about 20 regulars that consistently fish "our" little lake and there isn't a single one of them that I wouldn't help out, freely give tackle to, tell them where I found em biting and on what lure or color, and welcome into my boat. And vice versa. For the most part, I fish alone but I do enjoy the company of other fishermen (or ladies!)

Excellent post. A LOT of excellent posts. The last line is the best part and the best advice I've heard all day. I asked.....you guys answered. THIS, my friends, is why I love this site so much. I understand this now. I'm actually a pretty smart guy...this was just eluding me.

Thanks guys.......I'm starting to get it. I drive a 1968 Ford Pick up truck....3 on the tree. In First gear, I can't do over about 10 miles an hour but I could pull down a tree if I wanted to. In 3rd gear, it won't pull anything from a start but I can do highway speed.

^^THIS!!!^^^ We can tell you our preferences all day and none of us would be wrong. The best rod/reel is the one that feels like an extension of your hand.

and this is what I'm not wrapping my head around. I'm not saying you guys are wrong...I'm just saying I don't understand. It isn't like a "faster" reel is just going to stop working or become too hard to turn the handle.

Get you a President and match it up with a good rod that feels good in your hand. My Spinning combo is a Pres on a Shimano Sellus 2pc. Very inexpensive set up but it has done everything I want to do. Mostly finesse type stuff with the occasional small crank bait thrown in. Then you got some extra for tackle!

and maybe that's the thing. I don't throw great big cranks and I'm not throwing much below 15 ft or so and don't really foresee a time when I would. Good answer....lol I suspect I see a new PQ in my future to pair up with it. As I don't throw a huge number of cranks the $50 PQ at the classic will do just fine. MIGHT go 5.4:1 but I will probably do 6.3:1. That doesn't mean I'm not interested in other opinions...you guys that throw big cranks...do you use a lower geared reel? Obviously Catt does.

But I have to wonder if that only applies to older reels. I have no problem ( at least I haven't so far) throwing a crank with a faster reel Besides.....define "power". That is what I always hear but it doesn't really mean anything without an explanation. I'm actually not trying to be obnoxious.......I just want real some explanations and not hear..."more power"

Glass Crankster 7'4" Med/Mod and I will throw pretty much all my cranks on it Nothing huge. I don't do a LOT of cranking with the exception of Lipless.....I do throw a lot of those but I throw those on a MH fast with a fast reel

I've been looking around for something to pair up with a Mojo cranking rod I have and I know conventional wisdom is to go with something like 5.4;1 or even lower. And then I got to thinking about it.......why? I simply do not understand why I would want a slower reel for something like this. I watched the Aaron Martens video on this and he says basically the same thing I am thinking. Why? It seems to me that the opposite would be true...that you would want a fast reel if a fish grabbed the lure coming towards you, and a faster reel would help with hook set, no? Just looking for some opinions.

I fished when I was a kid and then nothing for a long time. and then about 20 or so years ago, my dad got me a rod/reel, tackle box, etc. Just an inexpensive combo. It was an odd gift. I hadn't fished in years and he didn't fish at all. I stuck it out on my front (enclosed) porch and sorta forgot about it. One day, the (ex) wife and I got into a huge argument and I had to leave the house just to get away from it. I was a pretty heavy drinker back then and normally would have just headed to a bar. As I was leaving, I saw that fishing gear and grabbed it. I stopped and got some nightcrawlers and went to a little local lake. The rest is history. I fell in love that day. I didn't get rip-snorting drunk. I didn't break anything...including the law. I went fishing. The marriage didn't last but my love for fishing has only grown deeper. I will never know why my Old Man got me that little combo. He is gone now. But it will always be the single greatest Christmas present I ever received. Today I am clean and sober and my life isn't as hard as it was back then but the feeling of fishing still remains the same. I calm down...my blood pressure is lower....my life is better. That is why I fish

Looking at these pictures, how could anyone wonder why we do what we do?

I still want Xcalibur back.

Sunrise on my little home lake...Happy Holler MO

Former Galesburg/Peoria boy here. Welcome to BR!

It was a joke

YEah...but it looks like he's using a Shishamo reel. We don't have the high falutin 30 bearing gear here in the States.

You're welcome? *shrugs*